COVID-19 Update March 26

Dear members of the Saint Louis University community,

Higher purpose. Greater good.

I do not have to tell you how powerful those words are, nor how much they mean to
us as an institution.

Our motto highlights our mission, and our mission drives what I want to share with
you today: Mission does not stop while we isolate. Even now, we pursue truth for the
greater glory of God and for the service of humanity.

The Center for Service and Community Engagement has compiled a list of the many ways
to get involved in the St. Louis community, which will be updated as we learn more
from our community partners. These include making care and concern phone calls to
homebound senior citizens and livestreaming fun and useful classes for people with
disabilities. Advocating for those in need is equally as important as serving; several
advocacy opportunities are also part of the list and it too will be updated as needs
become known.

Housing consolidation: Students who are living on campus will soon hear from Dr. Debie Lohe, our interim
Vice President for Student Development, about the next steps related to our housing
consolidation plans.

Printing needs: Students who continue to live on campus can access Billiken Printers in the following
locations: DeMattias Hall lobby, Grand Hall lobby, Griesedieck Complex lobby, Marguerite
Hall lobby, Reinert Hall lobby, Spring Hall lobby, and the Busch Student Center first
floor, next to St. Louis Bread Co. Students who need access to a computer should email
pandemic@slu.edu.

Refund details: The Office of Student Financial Services has shared additional information about
refunds for housing and dining.

This evening I will conclude by sharing a guest column that Washington University
Chancellor Andrew Martin and I co-authored for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. We note St. Louis’ resilience in the face of a pandemic, reminiscing on our community’s
response to the influenza pandemic of 1918. An excerpt:

“In times of crisis, communities pull together. As history has shown, some do this
better than others. In St. Louis, if our past is any indication, we have what it takes
to dig in and do what is needed to pull through. … We must stay focused, brace ourselves
for what comes next, and know that whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”